by Zara Mustapha

How music video directors like Aje Films, Phillip Trimnell, Clarence Peters and others changed the face of the Industry.

According to Sesan Adeniji, publisher of Mystreetz magazine

‘Considering the huge exploit and success the Nigerian music industry is enjoying today, one can’t but imagine what this sector would have achieved in the early days if all the elements that continue to contribute to today’s success had been in place. One of those important elements that increased the marketability of a music brand is the music video of the Nigerian artistes. The birth and success of Cinematography in this sector has brought more money for the artistes in form of record sales, performance fees and indirectly made endorsement deals more profitable.

Arguably, music videos first surfaced in Nigeria when the likes of Ade Love moved from theatre to filmmaking. Ade Love’s art were more of love driven with music inserts and a lot of the scenes in his movies were shot like a music video. He was able to achieve all of these with the help of Ola Balogun, the man that introduced him to filmmaking. Ola Balogun actually brought commercial filmmaking to Nigeria when he shot Ajani Ogun in 1976 but music video making as an art in Nigeria started with Phillip Trimnell.

From that point, the success inspired the likes of Femi Lasode of Even Ezra Studios, Kingsley Ogoro of Klink Studios famous for directing Blackky Skank, Dudu productions for Shina Peters videos, Shina Adedeji for the famous Funke ‘Celion Dion’s’  To Ba Joun Togba video, Kenny G/Nelson Brown/ Ladi for Plantashun boiz’s Don’t You Know, Obaino for Plantashun Boiz‘s Situation and One and Only videos, Uzodinma Okpechi for Tuface‘s African Queen  and Sunny Neji‘s Oruka and not to forget notable names like DJ Tee, Wudi Awa for Gino‘s No be God?, Emmanuel Ifeanyi and Remi Oni of Gecko Maltimedia, who altogether set the ground rolling for the likes of Aje films, Mex and the Clarence Peters of today’s music industry. This is the story of Cinematography in the Naija music industry and how these directors changed the face of this sector. This edition of Mystreetz Magazine is a must read’.

Cover photography by August Udoh.